


Paired by Costume

by shirewalker



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Masks, Shameless Smut, Smut, accidental couples costumes, coat room smut, halloween sex, these two are just so horny for each other it is crazy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:53:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27316567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shirewalker/pseuds/shirewalker
Summary: Halloween Smut!In which Alina attends a Halloween costume party as her favourite character, and finds her fictional match. The couples costume wasn't planned at all, but sex in the venue's coat room was, even if in a rush.
Relationships: Nikolai Lantsov/Alina Starkov
Comments: 14
Kudos: 43





	1. Part 1 - The Meeting

Normally Alina wouldn’t really go to a company’s Halloween costume party, except this one was of Genya’s publishing company and the party’s theme was none other than “Pirates”. To celebrate the release of yet another amazing book on the pirates’ series _Sturmhond and the Sun Queen_. Where the two pirate captains roamed the seven seas and had the most amazing, magical adventures. And of course, had sizzling romance on and off the battle ground.

Alina was a huge fan of these books. So when Genya offered her a chance to illustrate the special posters that would be offered in all first editions of the new upcoming book… Well, Alina had to be dumb to not accept the offer.

Which also meant she had to attend this party.

Dressing up as the captain Sun Queen, Alina had expected plenty of doppelgangers would show up at the party. After all, the pirate queen was the most famous and adored character in the series, with her lover tied for first place, on some special days.

Which also meant there were a lot of Sturmhonds roaming the party.

“Judging by the attention to detail in your costume, I’m guessing you’re either part of the team or a big fan of the pirate queen.” A voice interrupted her mental ranking of the party costumes. And apparently someone else was doing it too.

She turned to her interloper and almost gasped.

He was tall. And well built. But what had her holding back a gasp was his costume. Sturmhond, in all his glory. Down to the tiniest, most easily missed detail. Better than that, he was wearing the dark brown leather coat that her character had offered him as a peace offering. The coat that had sealed their fate as a couple. The coat that he almost lost while attempting to save her from a fire. Alina remembered those chapters with chills. The two captains had been investigating a corrupt officer and Sun Queen had almost died as one of his men set fire to her house. Sturmhond had happened to go visit her when he saw the fire. And in the harrowing rescue, his coat had suffered several burns.

And this Sturmhond’s coat had them. With the patches as well. Alina could almost smell the smoke on him, the sweat and blood. And, always there… The sea.

When she looked up to face this man, Alina blushed. Stunning, hypnotizing hazel eyes shined with barely hidden amusement.

Oh saints, she’d been caught ogling. Even if it was just the costume, it was still ogling. And now she couldn’t ogle the man himself because that would be too obvious.

“Sorry, I’m just genuinely impressed with your costume. It’s like Sturmhond himself walked out of the book.” She explained, hoping he believed her.

Sturmhond beamed at her, “Thank you, my lady. I worked hard on it. And I have to say the same about yours, now that I’m seeing up close, I can see it’s also very much a real life version of the books.” He paused, hazel eyes shining with acknowledgment as he noticed something else, “Or should I say, the _new_ official illustrations.” His eyes found hers again and suddenly Alina found it hard to breathe. “So, you must be someone in the publishing team, not a plus one or someone from other departments in the company.” He paused for dramatic effect, “Someone with access to the still unreleased illustrations.”

She didn’t know what to say. Mouth agape, Alina felt very much at a loss for words, for the first time in her life.

Sturmhond chuckled, “Nothing to fear, my lady! I’m just trying to guess if we have crossed paths yet.” His smile turned… seductive, almost. “I confess I would hate myself forever if we have and I can’t remember you.”

She rolled her eyes, “Masks have that effect, you know? No need to pull the classic ‘I could never forget your face’ line.” Even if it did have some effect on her. Could anyone blame her? He had a presence that drew her in, the most beautiful eyes ever, a voice that she could very well imagine saying the dirtiest things to her and not to mention that mouth… Of course, she was currently blaming all that on the costume. Her crush on a fictional man had to be at fault.

Sturmhond’s smile grew openly seductive and Alina’s stomach fluttered with anticipation.

“It’s a classic for a reason, sunshine.” He winked and Alina knew it. She would end this party kissing him. Or doing more than that. Her body heated up with that thought. Saints, she had been celibate for too long.

“Well, I assure you we haven’t crossed paths.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because I would remember someone as full of himself as you, dear captain.”

His hand shot to his heart, the captain groaning in pain as he held himself up on the table behind him, “Straight through the heart. You really are the Sun Queen, no one else has ever talked to her captain that way.”

“You’re not my captain.” She deadpanned, hoping the man in front of her didn’t see right through her. Sure she may be talking bold, but a part of her was suddenly dying to call him hers. Even if just for one night.

Sturmhond leaned in, voice dropped to a secretive whisper, “But no one else in this party makes a better costume match as we do. It’s fate. And… I’m sure we could find a way to make me yours.”

Alina let out a shaky breath. Yep, she was definitely turned on right now. She swallowed down hard and spoke, voice a little too shaky for her taste, “What exactly do you suggest?”

His hazel eyes, dark with desire, dropped to her mouth. “First of all… Single?”

She blinked, “Wh-What?”

“Are you single? Seeing anyone?”

“Yes. And no.” She answered, too quickly for her taste. But then again, her self-control seemed to be disappearing fast. “You?”

“Very much single. Very much seeing you if you’re so inclined for that.”

Was she?

* * *

Coat rooms were for coats, not for people. But one hefty sum from Sturmhond and the coat room valet was gone, door closing behind him.

Alina took one look at the space surrounding them before Sturmhond was pulling into his arms, a hand cupping her face as his lips brushed over hers in a promise of a kiss, “He can give us privacy, but eventually someone might want to leave.” He rasped, his breath hot and teasing on her hungry lips.

“Then we should make the most of our time.” She said, grabbing a handful of his shirt in an attempt to pull him closer. Saints, she needed him. Now. Foreplay be damned, she needed him deep inside of her, hard and fast.

Sturmhond’s mouth curled up in that smile that had her panties soaking in a heartbeat, and next thing she knew, Alina was pinned against a cushioned wall, heavy coats framing the two of them in a warm cocoon. “Antsy, are we?” Sturmhond chuckled, hands slowly making their way down her torso.

“Shut up and kiss me, Sturmhond.” She hissed, pulling him down. His lips met hers in a crash, pain lasting for a second before Sturmhond slanted his mouth against hers, turning a hasty and awkward kiss into one sensual and hot enough to melt the hardest of ice. His lips were soft and warm, an open invitation to make real every dirty dream of Alina’s. His tongue met hers in a dance that had her brain misfiring. And all along his hands made quick work of her skirts, pulling them up in one hand while the other snaked its way up her thigh in a slow, tantalising path.

“Tell me, sunshine…” He rasped against her lips, before planting a trail of hot kisses along her jaw, “Are you a screamer?” His thumb brushed her inner thigh, slow and deliberate.

Alina gasped and grabbed a handful of his hair. Which happened to be silky soft. Damn him.

Sturmhond’s thumb moved higher, “Are you?”

She realised she didn’t know. Her sexual experiences had been average. Her ex hadn’t been that good of a lover, despite claims from his many one night stands. Maybe that was why they were one night only. His material lasted just one night. Would Sturmhond hold up for more than one night?

“Have I driven you speechless already?” Sturmhond kissed her pulse, a kiss so soft it contrasted with what they were about to do.

“I don’t know…” She rasped, raking her fingers through his hair, “How about we find out?”

“Sounds good to me.” He said.

A surprised moan escaped Alina’s mouth when she felt his fingers slip under her panties. Between her wet folds. Another moan, louder this time, echoed around them as he started to tease her, deft fingers playing her as though they’d known each other for decades.

Alina held herself back at first, Sturmhond’s teasing torturous but not too much. Until it was, and she threw caution to the wind with a loud cry. She moved her hips with his hand, head tipped back as his mouth kissed her neck and cleavage, leaving a trail of kisses that would remain forever burned in her memory.

“I think…” He rasped, his voice betraying his desire. “That we need to take this study… further.”

Then his hand was gone, leaving behind a cold emptiness.

Alina fought back a whimper, biting her lip so hard she almost drew blood. She would moan and maybe even scream, but she wouldn’t give this stranger her whimpers.

She heard a ripping sound and her blood started to rush with anticipation.

“Slow? Or fast?” Sturmhond asked when Alina felt the tip of his hard length, her panties carefully pulled aside.

“Fast, definitely.” She breathed, “We don’t have all the time in the world, you idiot.”

Sturmhond chuckled, “Fast it is.” His tip teased her centre as he hooked her legs around his waist. He dipped into her slowly first, settling into her for one agonizing second.

Then, with a hard thrust, he was deep inside of her.

Alina cried out, pleasure coursing through her as her body grew acquainted with Sturmhond’s. Saints, he felt good. Just tight enough to fill her to utter satisfaction. He moved a little and a soft moan escaped Alina.

“I want you to know, sunshine…” Sturmhond rasped, “I want to make you feel good. As good as one could possibly feel. So… don’t hesitate.” Then he started to move inside of her, rolling his hips against hers in a steadily growing rhythm that set her blood on fire.

Alina moaned yes after yes, holding tighter to him with every passing second. She rocked her hips with his, falling into pace with him so fast it surprised her. Their sounds echoed all around the room, so loud Alina wondered if anyone else could heard them. But in that moment of perfect, pure lust, she didn’t care.

Faster and faster they moved, each thrust harder than the previous, dragging the two closer and closer to the edge.

Alina’s moans grew louder, her yesses losing sense until all she could utter were cries of pleasure. Utter, blissful pleasure.

She was so close. So, so close.

“Sturmhond… Please… I… I need…!” She begged, crying out another moan as his thrusts grew desperate.

“I got you, sunshine… I got you…!”

And then the final push came.

Alina let out a loud cry, her body tight around Sturmhond’s as her orgasm shook her to the core of her very existence. Faintly, she felt Sturmhond shudder hard inside of her, her nickname a rasp on his lips.

Then they stilled, both breathing harder than an Olympic athlete.

“I suppose… I am a screamer…” She rasped against his shoulder, having no strength left to hold her head up.

“And what beautiful screams you make…”

A knock interrupted him. Sturmhond cursed under his breath.

“I guess our time is up…” Alina said, feeling more disappointed than she had expected.

Sturmhond slid out of her with a sigh, helping her to her feet. His hands were fast as he rearranged her clothes and then his. His hazel eyes darting behind him. Was he afraid of being caught?

Suddenly she realised he could have lied about his status.

“Sturmhond…”

He held up his hand, “I just don’t want him to see you like that, sunshine. If anyone should get to see such a sight, they have to earn it.”

Her worries sizzled away, “Like you did?”

He flashed her what Alina assumed to be his trademark smirk, “I hope so.”

For a moment Alina wondered at how the two of them managed to keep their masks on. All while having the greatest sex in her life. Sure, they had planned to keep them on until reveal time, but still… With a sigh she combed the back of her hair and offered him an open smile, “Yes, yes you did.”

Sturmhond held his hand to hers, and together they exited through a side door, reappearing outside as though they had never been in the coat room.

“Zoya?” Alina dropped Sturmhond’s hand, suddenly embarrassed to be caught by one of her best friends. Whose mouth could run with hundreds of comments if she saw her holding hands with a guy she hadn’t been with when the party started.

Zoya turned, panic written all over her face, “We have to go.” She said.

“Why? What happened?”

“It’s Genya. It’s time!”

Oh no. Genya was waiting for her baby any time now. And it seemed her kid had terrible timing.

* * *

Alina stretched her neck, cursing her judgement earlier that night and the hospital sitting area. Her body craved some proper rest, yet here she was, waiting to be able to see Genya.

“Hey.” Just on cue, David came to the room.

Alina stood, “So?”

David beamed, “It’s a girl!”

“Congratulations!” Zoya said, coming to Alina’s side. “So, can we see them?”

“Yes, the nurse says you can have a few minutes with her.”

* * *

“I’m so sorry!!” Genya started, as soon as Alina was through the door. “I made you two leave the party!”

Alina rolled her eyes. Zoya scoffed.

“Please, you’re our friend. What’s more important?” Alina said.

Zoya coughed, “I don’t know… You seemed to be having a pretty good time. Good enough to not want to walk out on it.”

At this, Genya gasped, “What?! What happened? What did I miss?”

“Genya, it’s not…”

“Alina here chatted with a guy for a while, then the two disappeared for another while until I found them a little… dishevelled and very, very flushed.” Zoya’s smile shined with mirth.

Genya gasped again, “Alina! Really?! Oh my god, I’m so proud of you!”

All along, Alina was wishing for a hole to swallow her whole. Yet by the time Genya took a breather, the ground was still whole and unmoving. Utterly unmoved by her problems.

“Genya…”

“Who is he? I hope he did you good. I need details!”

“I don’t know. He did. There’s no more details.”

Her friend groaned, “Please, Alina. You snuck out to have sex with a random stranger. You would never do that. So, we need details. Wait.” She stopped, “How do you not know who he is? How could you have sex with him and not even know his name?”

“I… We were caught in the moment. He suggested we reveal names during the mask take-off.”

Genya’s face paled, more than it had already, “And I took that chance from you…”

“Come on, it’s not that serious.”

“I have to disagree.” Zoya said, “You were positively glowing.”

“See?” Genya hissed, “I need to fix this. Come on. Give me all the details you have on him, we will find out who your mystery date is.”


	2. Part 2 - The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search won't rest!

Alina groaned as she sat on the comfy loveseat, welcoming with open hands the hot chocolate Zoya handed her. She was tired, and slightly cranky.

“So, how’s the search going?” her friend asked, sitting on her armchair.

Alina glanced over her shoulder. Genya was still outside, breastfeeding her baby in the warm afternoon sun, enjoying the last rays of sunlight of the day. “Well, you know Genya can be… stubborn.”

Zoya cackled, “Queen of stubbornness, that’s what she is.”

“Yeah…”

“And…?”

“Well, she keeps planning meet-ups with random guys from the company. At this point I’m sure they all know who I am. And probably all think I’m some desperate woman who’s dying for a man in publishing business…” The only thing stopping this from being overly embarrassing was Genya’s clever mind. Most of the meetings were casual, barely memorable, as Alina “accidentally” met these guys thanks to Genya taking too long with their meetings.

“She’s really invested in this, huh?”

Alina hummed in agreement.

“But you’re not particularly interested in stopping her either.” Zoya added, her gaze as sharp as her carving knives.

Alina’s hot chocolate became very interesting all of a sudden.

“Alina…”

She let out a long, loud sigh, “Fine! I’m letting her do this. I… I admit I want to see him again.” She shrugged and bit her lip, “He was… insufferable. But incredible. Like, I swear I never met anyone like him. And the sex was…” She groaned as her body happily remembered that night, “It was mind-blowing. He rewrote any and all thoughts I had on sex and pleasure, Zoya.”

Her friend had a raised eyebrow and a knowing smile, “And you want to do it again.”

Alina leaned back on the fluffy pillows, “So badly.”

“Well, then I guess you just have to let Genya keep doing her thing.”

“But it’s been weeks, Zoya!” And Alina was becoming more and more certain that her dream guy was really a dream. And a party crasher.

“Maybe he’s on holiday? Or maybe there’s something you forgot to tell Genya that could help her search?” Zoya pursed her lips in thought, “He could be part of the series team but not in a position that demands him to be there all the time. Or like you. You never even went there.”

“I suppose. Genya has been going through her contacts slowly too…”

“Genya has finished feeding her baby!!” The red head announced with a loud whisper, her baby clearly having fallen asleep in a heartbeat. “And Genya also realised we haven’t gone through every single detail you know of the guy. So, let me put little Anya to bed and then we’ll get to the bottom of this!”

And then she was gone, deep to where she’d left Anya’s bed.

Zoya chuckled, “All right, better get the coffee ready.”

* * *

“Are you sure?” Genya insisted, her notepad being assaulted by her pen. Alina was sure the pages were carved into eternity.

“I told you, Genya. The lights were low, I couldn’t see if he had any special marks or scars.”

“Fine. Then I guess I should cross out these names that are currently on holiday. They all have some memorable mark or scar or facial hair.” Her friend hummed in thought, “Ok, how about we change things up?”

“What do you mean?” Alina asked as she put aside her mug.

“Tell me about what he said to you.”

Alina blushed, “Some things are better left private, Genya!”

Zoya snorted, “Pretty sure she isn’t asking about his dirty talk, Alina.”

“Oh.” She cleared her throat, “Then what else? I told you what we talked about.”

“No, no. I need to know specifics. Like…” Genya tapped the pen on her chin, “What words he used, or how he talked. Oh!” She beamed, “Tell me everything he said about the books.”

“What haven’t I told you?”

“I need details!!”

“Okay, okay!” Alina sighed, “He… he seemed very intimate with the stories. His costume was heavily detailed, like I told you.”

“More details.” Genya urged her, while Zoya started to scroll through her phone.

“Blond hair. Like the gold Sturmhond had stashed in his ship when he met Sun Queen. His mask was a simple black fabric mask. He recognized my costume from the illustrations after a closer look.” She paused, “He called me ‘my lady’ and ‘sunshine’. And he spoke like… like a prince, I guess.”

Genya had a calculating look in her eyes, “I see… What else? How intimate would you say he was with the books?”

Alina shrugged, “I don’t know. As intimate as I am, at least. I’m telling you, Genya, he looked like Sturmhond himself.” And he kissed like Sturmhond himself.

Suddenly Genya jumped from her seat, gasping as though she’d forgotten her stove was on. “I have an idea!” She shook Alina by her shoulders, “I cannot believe I didn’t think of this before! And now I’m gonna need you two to take Anya to David. And Alina, I’m gonna need you to meet me at the Under the Sea café in… two hours!”

And before Alina or Zoya could utter another word, Genya was out the door.

“What was that…?” Zoya whispered.

“I… I don’t know.”

* * *

“Okay, Genya, I’m here. Where the hell are you?” Alina ended her third voicemail to her friend. She had arrived a little early, but now it was fifteen minutes past Genya’s planned time and she was still nowhere to be found.

All Alina had going was the order to sit in the corner booth, the most secluded one in the whole room. And also the one that was decorated like a captain’s room.

Alina sighed again, “Really, where the hell is she? We’ll never find Sturmhond at this rate.”

“He may be closer than expected.”

Her heart fell to her stomach and then jumped to her throat. Alina snapped her eyes to the owner of the voice. Her jaw fell.

“Nikolai Lantsov…?? What… What are you doing here? Talking to me?” She looked to the café’s door for a second, “Where’s Genya?”

Nikolai Lantsov smiled. Alina’s heart thundered at the sight. Saints. It was even more damning than in all his promotional photos. Even more than the one on the flap of her favourite book in all the Sturmhond and Sun Queen series.

Oh saints.

The author of her favourite books was talking to her _and_ smiling at her.

And…

And that voice…

“Where’s Genya…?” She asked again, her voice unsure.

His smile grew, hinting at a dimple, and he shrugged, “She asked me to apologise on her behalf, but that she had no place in this meeting. She also wished you good luck.” He tilted his head to the side, watching her. His eyes were warm, his smile full of fondness.

Heart still beating a thousand drums, Alina refused to put together the pieces that were carefully laid out in front of her. Because doing so would involve admitting something far too outrageous for her.

“May I sit down?” He asked.

She nodded.

“Are you going to ask why I am here?”

Alina swallowed down and bit her lip, “Why are you here? I… I was expecting Genya. She’s helping me…”

“Finding your Sturmhond.” Nikolai finished, settling his chin on a hand.

If she had any air left in her lungs, Alina would have gasped. Yet here she was, trying to gather some air, some semblance of sense to react to his words. His presence. All the clues pointing towards the truth she wasn’t sure she wanted to face.

“Come on, sunshine.” He started, voice soft and intimate.

“But you can’t… You can’t be him.”

“And why ever not?” Amusement tilted his smile to the side, putting on full display a dimple Alina had failed to see the first time.

She shook her head, “Because that would mean I…” she dropped her voice to a whisper only he could hear, “that would mean I had loud sex with a famous author in a coat room!” She hissed, “Loud. Sex. Famous. Author!”

At this Nikolai laughed, “And? I’m still the same person you met that night. The same person you made out with. And had sex with.”

“It’s just… too crazy.”

“The world is full of crazy things, sunshine.” He reached for her hand, fingertips brushing over her knuckles, “Our meeting was one of them. There’s nothing wrong with that. What would be wrong is if we ignored the chemistry we have and didn’t give this a chance.”

She watched his fingers touch her hand, a shy and gentle touch. She longed to meet him halfway, but a part of her still thought it wasn’t for her. Having something with someone like Nikolai Lantsov.

“I looked for you as well, you know?” Her eyes snapped up when he spoke. “I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I asked around but no one could help me. I assumed they were protecting you or you were a party crasher. Shamefully it didn’t occur to me that you could be the elusive illustrator that had worked through Genya.” He sighed, “But the moment I saw her walking down the corridor of my floor, when she was supposed to be on maternity leave… I knew. I should have asked her straight away.”

So that’s what Genya had been up to…

Alina looked back to his hand, now just close enough to touch. “So… You’re really him.”

“The one and only. _Your_ Sturmhond, and his creator.”

“I’m going to need more evidence.” She demanded, not wanting to give in just yet.

His chuckle sent warmth all through her bones, “I called you my lady. And sunshine. I suggested we keep our identities a secret until the mask-off. For the added allure of what we were about to do. I paid the valet off so we could have some proper privacy. And then you demanded we get on with it because time was of the essence.” He was beaming now, a proud glint in his eyes, “You came when I touched you and then you came even harder when I was inside of you. We were… studying whether you were a screamer or not.”

Alina was positively on fire now. “I sure hope no one heard you say all that.”

“I’m sure they’re too busy with their own lives. And if they did, it’s on them.” His hazel eyes bore into hers, “Alina…” He paused, “Saints, I love your name…” Then he cleared his throat and started again, “Alina, sunshine… What do you say?”

What indeed… She had been desperate to meet her Sturmhond again. To see him. To speak with him. To kiss him. To feel him inside of her, where he belonged. And now here he was. He wasn’t what she’d expected but… was that so bad? Maybe she could learn how to deal with the fame that followed him. Maybe she could ask him to help her with it.

Slowly, she laced her fingers with his, watching as his breath caught in his throat.

She smiled, “I suppose we could… go for round two.”

“And coffee and a movie? I swear I’m great at stay-at-home dates. The best even.”

Alina couldn’t help but laugh, “All right, I’d like to see that.”

Nikolai leaned over the table and pulled her into a searing kiss. When they broke away, breathless and just a little turned on, he caressed her cheek and smiled, “Then how about we start right now?”

Alina leaned in to steal a kiss. Saints, kissing him was even better now that she knew who he was. Maybe her crush of Sturmhond was secretly influenced by her super-secret tiny crush on the author himself. “Sounds good to me. Your place or mine?”

“Mine’s five minutes away. My bed is an absolute dream.”

“Oh, if your bed’s a dream then I have to try it.”

Nikolai chuckled and stood. He held his hand to hers and when she took it, he pulled her into another kiss, “Thank god for my bed, then.”

She chuckled, “Yes, thank god.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it is!! I hope you guys enjoyed the first part (no one said a thing yet, I hope it wasn't a mistake alskdjasd) and that this second part was satisfying enough :D 
> 
> stay safe everyone! <3<3<3
> 
> comments/fangirling is still the best treat ever <3

**Author's Note:**

> ok it's past midnight here, but I had to get this out!! part 1 only. I'll try to have part 2 done tomorrow-ish.
> 
> aaand I hope y'all enjoyed this!! have a happy spoopy season!
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling is the best treat everrrrr


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